Au Pair Chatter

From cdc.gov

For many people, autumn events like Halloween and Harvest Day are fun times to dress up in costumes, go trick-or-treating, attend parties, and eat yummy treats. These events are also opportunities to provide nutritious snacks, get physical activity, and focus on safety.

Below are tips to help make the festivities fun and safe for trick-or-treaters and party guests.

Going trick-or-treating?

	Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
	Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
	Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
	Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.
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	Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always WALK and don’t run from house to house.
	Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.
	Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
	Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
	Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
	Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
	Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.
	Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult.
	Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

On Sunday, we had beautiful weather and a great turnout for our Annual Host Family & Au Pair Pumpkin Patch Visit.  Queen Anne Farm remains an authentic pumpkin patch where kids get the chance to pick their pumpkin right off the vine. There were also animals, a corn maze and a hayride.

Click on the pictures to view them full size in our Cluster Photobucket Album.

Sukkot is a joyous Jewish holiday that lasts for seven days and remembers the time that Israelites wandered in the desert during their journey to the Promised Land.  It is observed by the building of a temporary dwelling (a sukkah) decorated with fruits and other symbols of the harvest.

Click here to get the recipe for Animal Face Pizzas on Annabel Karmel's Blog

Pizza is easy and fun to make and can be a nutritious meal for the children and is easy to make at home.

You will need a ready-made pizza dough or a ready-made crust, shredded mozzarella cheese and a jar of pizza sauce.  First the dough or crust goes on a cookie sheet or pizza pan. Then spread the sauce, add the other toppings, and last of all, sprinkle the cheese. Bake as directed for the crust. Be careful, and keep the children away from the oven as the oven must be very hot to make a nice crusty pizza.

If you want to get a little fancier and try these Animal Face Pizzas, click on the photo to get the recipe.

Click here for a coloring page where kids can draw in toppings and make their own pizza.

Photo: blog.annabelkaramel.com

Click here to read more Fire Safety Tips on PBS Kids

Here are some fire safety tips from PBSKids.org. Go over these fire safety tips with your children.

Be Smart

1. Don’t touch matches. Stay away from lighters and candles, too.
2. Don’t touch radiators or heaters. Ask a grown-up to turn a heater on or off for you. Don’t stand too close to a fireplace or wood stove, either.
3. Don’t play with electrical cords. And don’t stick anything into an electrical socket.
4. Don’t play around in the kitchen. If you want to cook something, be sure to check with a grown-up first.
5. Don’t put anything over a lamp. Things thrown over a lamp (like blankets or clothing) could catch fire.

World Smile Day

This is a day dedicated to good cheer and good works: “Do an act of kindness – help one person smile”. Use your imagination to think of little ways to bring a smile to someone’s face – kind words, good deeds, thoughtful gestures, there is no limit to the things you can do.

Visit the World Smile Day website to find out more.

Contest: Open to au pairs currently in my cluster, send me an email or message on Facebook telling me something you did to make your host kid(s) smile today. First person to reply will receive a $5 Starbucks gift card at the coffee meeting on Sunday. Contest is closed. Sandy is the winner!!!

We had a cold, rainy day at the Bowie International Festival this year.  Even in those less than perfect conditions, all of my fabulous ladies who volunteered to help showed up.

Click on the pictures to see them at full size.